Snowplow construction



March 25, 1952 w. J. ADAMS, JR, ET AL 2,590,143

SNOWPLOW CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 16, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l Summers WILLIAM J. ADA/V5 JR. DONALD E. FISCHER (Ittomeg March 25, 1952 w ADAMS, JR" ETAL 2,590,143

'sNowPLow CONSTRUCTION FiledDec. 16, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventor; WILL/AM J. ADAMS JR. DONALD E. FISCHER Gttomeg March 25, 1952 W. J. ADAMS, JR, ET AL SNOWPLOW CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 16, 1949 Snventora WILLIAM J. ADAMS JR.

DONALD E. FISCHER Gttomeg Patented Mar. 25, 1952 SNOWPLOW CONSTRUCTION William J. Adams, 31:, Grafton, and Donald E. Fischer, Cedar Grove, Wis., assignors to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation,

San

Jose, Calif, a corporation of Delaware Application December 16, 1949, Serial No. 133,296

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to snow plows, and is directed more particularly to a snow plow attachment for a power driven vehicle such as a small, one-wheeled, garden tractor.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simply-constructed snow plow which may be removably attached to a prime mover, and which also may be used as a dirt scraper or grader.

Another object is to provide a snow plow or dirt scraper having a pair of blade sections which maybe quickly and easily adjusted to cast snow or dirt to both sides of the device at once, or to either one side or the other as desired.

Another object is to provide an improved mounting for a pairof adjustable blade sections for a snow plow for garden tractors.

A further object is to provide a snow plow having two adjustable blade sections which present an overlapping arrangement to the snow lying in front of the snow plow regardless of the angular adjustment of the two blade sections with respect to each other, so that substantially no snow will pass between them as the snow plow is moved along through the snow.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a snow plow embodying the present invention as it would appear attached to a small one wheeled garden tractor.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary isometric rear view of the snow plow and a portion of a mounting bracket therefor, the two blade sections of the plow being arranged in alignment with each other, and positioned transversely of the longitudinal center line of the mounting bracket.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary isometric rear view of the center portion of the plow with one of the blade sections swung angularly rearward from the position of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear view similar to Fig. 2 but wit both blade sections swung angularly rearward from their position in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the forward portion of the snow plow blade section mounting bracket carried by the supporting vehicle.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front isometric view of the central portion of the two blade sections arranged as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a front isometric view showing the two blade sections aligned with each other as shown in Fig. 2, a corner portion of one of the sections being broken away.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front isometric view of the center portions of the two blade sections arranged as shown in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 1 is a snow plow attachment embodying the present invention is shown mounted on a well known type of small, one wheeled garden tractor having a motor assembly A, manipulating handle B, and counter weight C. A snow plow mounting bracket D is secured beneath the motor mount of the tractor, the bracket having a usual releasable connector, not shown, on its rearward endfor connecting forwardly mounted attachments to this type of tractor.

The bracket D comprises two forwardly extending supporting arms l0 and II of steel band (Figs. 1, 2 and 5), their forward ends being curved downwardly at I2, and with a forwardly facing channel member l3 welded therebetween. Forwardly extending parallel top and bottom flanges I4 and I5, respectively, of the channel member i3 are tapered forwardly and have vertically aligned pivot holes I! through the forward ends thereof (Fig. 5) to receive a pair of axially aligned pivot bolts l8 and. I9, respectively (Fig. 2) by means of which two snow plow blade sections E and F are pivotally mounted on the bracket D.

The two blade portions E and F are of steel plate of suitable thickness, depending on their size, and are curved transversely of their lengths. A suitable curvature is with a radius of curvature approximating two thirds of the width of each blade section. For a blade section approximately fifteen inches wide and thirteen inches high, ten gauge hot rolled medium carbon sheet steel has been found satisfactory.

Each blade section has a pair of mounting brackets 20 and 2| mounted on the convex or rear side thereof. The mounting brackets on the two blade sections are similar but opposite to each other. Each blade bracket has a mounting portion 22, curved to conform to the rear face of the blade section and welded thereto, and a flat, horizontally extending flange portion 23. The mounting brackets 20 and 2! are arranged in pairs in relatively superposed parallel position near the inner end of each blade section with their flanges spaced 'apart to receive between them the tapered forwardly extending flanges of the channel member [3.

The flanges of the brackets 20 and 21 on one blade section, as shown on the right hand blade section E in Fig. 2, are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than those of the left hand blade section F so that the flanges, of the blade brackets on the left hand blade section will be interposed between those on the right hand blade section and the channel flanges I4 and I5, respectively. The blade connected brackets 20 and 2I are pivotally connected to the channel member I3 by the axially aligned pivot bolts I8 and I9 which are inserted in a pivot hole 24 (Fig. 4) near the forward edge of each blade mounted bracket flange and also through the pivot holes I! in the flanges of the channel member I3.

Each blade mounted bracket flange has, in addition to the pivot bolt receiving hole 24 therein, two holes 2'! and 28 adapted to receive selectively therein a positioning locking pin 29. These latter holes 21 and 28 are separated from the pivot hole 24 in their respective flanges by equal radial distances, and from each other by an angle of approximately 30 with the center of the pivot bolt hole as the apex of the angle. Corresponding holes in the lower and upper flanges on each blade section are in axial alignment with each other so that the positioning locking pins 29 can be inserted through corresponding holes in both upper and lower flanges.

Each horizontally extending flange I4 and I of the channel member I3 also has three positioning locking pin receiving holes 30, 3I and 32 (Fig. 5) therethrough. The holes in the channel flanges I4 and I5 are spaced rearwardly from the pivot bolt holes I'I therein by radial distances equal to those separating the rear holes 21 and 28 in the blade mounted flanges 23 from their pivot holes 24, and, like them, are separated laterally from each other by angles of 30 with the center of the pivot bolt hole as the apex of the angle. These holes also, like those in the two pairs of blade mounted brackets 20 and 2I, are arranged to have the corresponding holes in both flanges I 4 and I5 in axial alignment with each other.

In order to permit angular adjustment of the blades" about the pivot bolts I8 and I9 as an axis, without leaving a gap between the blade sections which would permit snow or other material being moved by the device to pass between their separated inner edges and leave a ridge of the material centrally along the path being plowed, the inner ends of both blade sections are extended beyond their common center line so as to overlap each other when arranged in relatively aligned position as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. The overlap is suflicient so that when swung rearwardly to their limit of angularly adjusted movement as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, the inner edges of both blade sections will still remain relatively slightly overlapped.

The inner ends of at least the rearmost, and for the purpose of symmetry, preferably both, blade sections are curved in a concave are as at 33 and 34 (Fig. 7) and the rearmost blade, in this case blade E, is mounted so that when the blades are aligned as shown in Fig. 2 the blades will be spaced apart fore and aft a slight distance. For a blade having approximately the dimensions mentioned previously herein this spacing may be about one half inch. The radius of curvature of the inner ends of the blade sections is slightly less than the radius of curvature of the blades themselves.

The extreme points at the corners of the blade sections, particularly on the lower edges thereof, preferably are clipped off slightly as at 35 to eliminate the otherwise sharp points which would be apt to catch on slight obstructions and be bent rearwardly during operation of the device. The amount clipped from the lower corners at the inner overlapping portions of the blade sections, however, should not be suflicient to leave a gap therebetween which would permit snow or other material to pass between the blade sections and thus leave an objectionable row of material midway along the plowed strip.

Operation The positioning locking pin 29 is adapted to be inserted through any vertically aligned pairs of the rearward positioning holes in the channel flanges I4 and I5, and also through either pair of vertically aligned rearward holes in either pair of the blade mounted flanges which may be in register therewith. Alignment of the various sets of holes with each other is accomplished by pivotally adjusting the blade sections E and F of the snow plow about the pivot bolts I8 and is as an axis.

For example, with the positioning locking pin 29 inserted through the center pair 3I of axially aligned positioning holes in the flanges of the channel member I3, and through the innermost pairs 21 of positioning holes in the blade mounted brackets 20 and 2I as shown in Fig. 2, the blade sections E and F will be disposed in alignment with each other and transversely of the fore and aft center line of the propelling vehicle. The blades can be arranged in similarly relatively aligned arrangement and swung about the pivot bolts I8 and I9 as an axis through an angle of 30 in either direction from the position shown in Fig. 2 and locked in the new position by inserting the locking pin through the same holes in the blade mounted flanges 20 and 2|, as in Fig. 2, the locking pin in the latter case being inserted selectively through the holes 30 or 32 on one side or the other of the channel flanges I4 and I5 as desired, depending on the angular position of the aligned blades relatively to the fore-and-aft center line of the tractor mounted bracket.

From the aligned position of the blade sections, either or both thereof are capable of being swung rearwardly relatively to the other through an angle of 30 and locked in such newly adjusted position by inserting the locking pin 29 through the outer pair of locking pin receiving holes 28 in the blade mounted flanges of the blade or blades thus adjusted, and also through a selected pair of aligned positioning holes 30, 3| or 32 in the flanges of the channel I3. One of such alternate positions is shown in Figs. 3 and 6, while Figs. 4 and 8 show still another such alternate position of the blades.

While we have described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood however that the invention is capable of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A snow plow attachment for a garden tractor comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a garden tractor to extend forwardly therefrom, said bracket comprising a pair of horizontal, vertically spaced apart mounting flanges each having a pivot hole in the forward end thereof and a plurality of positioning pin receiving holes separated from the pivot holes by equal radial distances, the holes in each mounting bracket flange being similar to those in the other, the corresponding holes of each being in superposed alignment with those in the other, a pair of forwardly curved blade sections, a pair of parallel blade flanges extending rearwardly from the convex rear f ace of each bladesection, and adapted to interfit in relatively overlapping relation with the flanges of the mounting bracket, said blade flanges each having a pivot hole adapted to register with the pivot hole in the mounting flanges and positioning pin receiving holes adapted to register selectively with those in the mounting bracket flanges, pivot means in the pivot holes to pivotally connect the flanges of the mounting bracket to the blade flanges, and a positioning pin insertable in selected aligned pairs of superposed positioning pin receiving holes in said mounting bracket and in each blade mounted flange to secure the blade sections in selectively adjusted position to the mounting bracket.

2. A snow plow attachment for a garden tractor comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a garden tractor and to extend forwardly therefrom, said bracket having a pivot element in the forward end thereof and a plurality of positioning pin receiving holes separated from the pivot element by equal radial distances, a pair of blade sections, mounting means extending rearwardly from the rear face of each blade section and adapted to interfit with the mounting bracket, said blade mounting means each having a pivot element adapted to register with the pivot element in the mounting bracket and positioning pin receiving holes adapted to register selectively with those in the mounting bracket, means pivotally connecting the pivot element of the mounting bracket to the pivot element of each blade mounting means, and a positioning pin insertable in selected registering positioning pin receiving holes in said mounting bracket and in each blade mounting means to secure the blade sections in selectively adjusted position to the mounting bracket.

3. A snow plow attachment for a garden tractor comprising a mounting member adapted to be attached to a garden tractor and having a pivot element in the forward end thereof, a plurality of positioning elements on said mounting member separated from the pivot element by equal radial distances, a pair of blade sections, support means on each blade section, a pivot element on each support means registering with the pivot element in the mounting member for pivotally connecting the mounting member and the blade support means positioning elements on each blade support means adapted to register selectively with those on the mounting member, and positioning locking means adapted selectively to interlock the positioning elements of said mounting member and said blade support means to secure the blade sections to the mounting member in angularly adjusted position.

4. A snow plow attachment for a garden tractor comprising a bracket adapted to be connected to the tractor to extend forwardly therefrom, a forwardly facing channel member secured to the forward end of said bracket, said channel member comprising a pair of forwardly tapering, superposed, spaced, parallel flanges disposed horizontally, each of said flanges having a pivot hole therein, the pivot holes being in vertical alignment, said flanges each having a plurality of positioning pin receiving holes therein arranged symmetrically and at equal radial distances from the pivot holes, the positioning pin receiving holes being in vertically aligned pairs, a pair of sheet metal blade sections each being curved forwardly along its lower edge, a pair of superposed flanges mounted on the rear face of each blade section, said blade flanges being spaced apart to have interfitting relation with the tractor mounted channel flanges and with each other, each of said blade mounted flanges having a pivot hole therein adapted to register with the pivot hole in each of the other blade flanges and in each channel flange, pivot means adapted to be inserted in the pivot holes in the blade and channel flanges for pivotally connecting the blade flanges to the channel member, each of said blade mounted flanges having a plurality of positioning pin receiving holes spaced from the pivot hole in each blade flange by radial distances equal to those separating the channel flange positioning pin receiving hole from their respective pivot holes,said positioning pin holes in the blade flanges being adapted to register selectively with the positioning pin holes in the channel flanges, a positioning pin insertable in selected registering holes to lock the blades in angularly adjusted position on said channel, the inner ends of said blades being in relatively overlapping position on opposite sides of a center line normal to the length of the blade when the blade sections are in relatively aligned position, the inner end of a blade section being cut on a concave arc to clear the other blades section on angular adjustment of the blade sections about the pivot means as an axis.

5. A snow plow attachment for a garden tractor comprising a bracket adapted to be connected to the tractor to extend forwardly therefrom, a pivot element on said bracket, said bracket having a plurality of positioning pin receiving holes therein at equal radial distances from the pivot element, a pair of sheet metal blade sections each being curved forwardly along its lower edge, blade support means mounted on each blade section and adapted to have interfitting relation with the tractor mounted bracket and with each other, a pivot element on each blade support means adapted to register with the pivot element on the other blade support means and on the bracket, thereby to pivotally connect the bracket and the blade support means, each blade support means having a plurality of positioning pin receiving holes spaced from the pivot element thereon by radial distances equal to those separating the bracket positioning pin receiving holes from their respective pivot element, said positioning holes in the blade support means being adapted to register selectively with the positioning pin receiving holes in the bracket, and a positioning pin insertable in selectively registering bracket and blade support means holes to lock the blades in angularly adjusted position on said bracket, the inner ends of said blades being in relatively overlapping position on opposite sides of a center line normal to the length of the blade when the blade sections are in relatively aligned position, the inner end of a blade section being cut on a concave arc to clear the other blade section on angular adjustment of the blade sections about their pivot elements while maintaining the blades in overlapping position.

6. A snow plow attachment for a garden tractor comprising a bracket adapted to be connected to a tractor, a pair of blades, mounting means secured to each blade and coaxially pivotally connected to said bracket for pivotally coupling each blade to said bracket, a plurality of selectively registerable positioning holes provided in said bracket and in each pivoted mounting means, and position-locking means adapted to engage selectively registered holes in said bracket and in each mounting means for securing the blades in a variety of pivoted positions.

'7. A snow plow attachment for a garden tractor to register selectively with each of the positioning holes in said bracket and with each other, said blades being in parallel alignment with the positioning holes in said mounting means are in register, and position-locking means adapted to be inserted in the registering positioning holes in said mounting means and to selectively engage the positioning holes in said bracket for securing lo the aligned blades in a plurality of angularly adjusted positions.

' WILLIAM J. ADAMS, JR.

DONALD E. FISCHER.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the filo of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 642,398 Whitbeck Jan. 30, 1900 1,170,578 Toy Feb. 8, 1916 1,383,409 Liddell July 5, 1921 2,088,564 Anthony et a1 Aug. 3, 1937 2,428,131 Uebelhoer Sept. 30, 1947 2,432,780 Mader Dec. 16, 1947 2,468,950 Wiedman May 3, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 56,163 Denmark May 15, 1939 

